Reader Letters | Obamacare, prejudice, neighborhoods

Refund uses

So, Kentucky's two senators and five of six congressmen, remain opposed to the Affordable Care Act, even as a provision of the act generates refunds of about $30 million to Kentucky's citizens. I guess they realize that the refund amount could have been given to their re-election campaigns.

DAVID NOPPER

Louisville 40207 -

Keeping cash

I am one of the people that your editorial referred to-"Keeping your cash." What a joke, I would gladly give back the $187.40 that I received. This will be a pittance compared to how much it will cost me in the future, for increased taxes, services and goods. Do you really think that you can insure 40 million more people for less money ?

LYNN ETIENNE

Louisville 40218 -

Defining prejudice

Any expectation of reasonable judgment by a liberal is an exercise in futility. They, in their own prejudicial way, love to paint all Republicans, Fox News and most white Americans with the same brush of racial bias. They, and The Courier-Journal, refuse to face the fact that 91 percent of murders of blacks are black-on-black, the result of vicious drug wars or gang-related incidents wherein there are many children who are innocent victims of cross-fire.

The emotionally charged editorial in The Courier-Journal concerning the Zimmerman verdict did nothing to allay the problems that resulted from the decision. Perhaps some of the violence in Louisville, Chicago and other large cities in crime-ridden black communities could benefit from such an editorial.

As for the comment from a rich black celebrity, I am sick of celebrities trashing my country. There is an alternative to living in this country if one is wealthy.

People who constantly knock Fox News have probably never watched it. There is a reason that it is the most watched cable news outlet. The hateful verbiage that is dished out on a daily basis by talk shows on CNN and MSNBC could not be matched, but it is basically overlooked by their proponents. Prejudice by any other name is prejudice and using accusations of racial bias in an indiscriminate manner is a dangerous practice.

LIZ SHEA

Henderson, Ky. 42420 -

One-sided development

Louisville is a city of neighborhoods. It is also a city where money often talks louder than citizen voices. Tuesday's Metro Council committee meeting was an illustration both of the problem and of the solution we may hope is coming.

The meeting's first agenda item was to act on a recommendation from the Planning Commission to deny rezoning at the site of a proposed 17-story condominium tower, called Willow Grande. The commission had found the project did not comply with statutory guidelines or the Cherokee Triangle neighborhood plan.

Planning and Design staff gave a slide presentation to summarize the case. This is where the problem appeared, and where we can find the way to a solution. The presentation showed the facts, taken from the record, in a standard script. It was entirely routine.

It was also biased.

The process starts with the idea that investment means progress, and the routine slide show is an efficient way to get the investment made. So staff followed the script and left half of the story untold.

A comparison of current and requested zonings did not mention the proposed zoning would allow two-thirds more units on the site as are currently allowed. The words "neighborhood plan" did not appear in the presentation. The final slide only noted that "The Commission finds that the proposal does not comply with the Comprehensive Plan Guidelines 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 13."

Questions by the committee and Council President Jim King and Councilman Brent Ackerson, raised some of the issues. On balance, though, most people will likely look to those routine slides for the official record and they will see the developer's version.

So we once again face the question of whether our city values neighborhoods and the citizens or the developers who can sell big money projects. Personally, my Vision Louisville is to back the citizens, deny the rezoning and give the Triangle their neighborhood back.

RAY BRUNDIGE

Louisville 40204 -

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Reader Letters | Obamacare, prejudice, neighborhoods

So, Kentucky's two senators and five of six congressmen, remain opposed to the Affordable Care Act, even as a provision of the act generates refunds of about $30 million to Kentucky's citizens.